Whether for a few hours after school, during the holidays, or every day, having the right nanny around to help with the kids can make a huge difference to family life. But how do you get the right fit for your family? Mark Hudson, of nanny and babysitter finding service Caresies, shares his tips.
Wellington couple Mark and Michelle Hudson were working full-time and finding it challenging to get the right help with their two young children when they decided to start Caresies in 2023.
Mark knows how challenging getting the right fit can be and says every family is different in terms of what this looks like.
“Choosing the right nanny comes down to what works with your schedule, your kids, your values and everything that goes around that,” he says.
Mark has learned a few tricks about choosing the perfect nanny and has agreed to share them with us.
Tip 1: Plan, plan, plan: treat it like hiring a key business employee
Mark suggests starting to plan two or three months before you want a new nanny to begin work and treating it as if you were making a business staffing appointment.
“Finding the right nanny might take time and a lot of back and forth to work out. And you want to do it properly,” he says.
So, write a job description first, stating precisely what you need. Establish your ideal budget and hours, and determine what is important to you and what’s not regarding the nanny’s role. Make a big checklist, Mark says.
Doing this planning in advance helps better define the role, what the schedule will be and what is – and isn’t – a deal-breaker in the arrangement, Mark says.
Tip 2: Be realistic… and don’t rush.
You can’t expect your nanny to solve all your problems. They can’t be cleaners, PAs, organisers and nannies simultaneously. Clearly set out what the role is.
“Make a schedule that’s appealing for the nanny. Asking someone to come and work one hour a day a few days a week is going to be pretty tough and unappealing for a nanny,” Mark says.
You also need to be realistic about the wages you pay. Caresies’ partner business, payroll service Pay the Nanny, carries out an annual survey that shows the current average nanny wage to be $28 to $30 an hour.
“Know what the average wage is and make sure that you’re appealing to nannies by making sure the wage you’re offering is in line with that.
“Be realistic and take the time to make sure the role you put out there is appealing. That might mean having to make a few sacrifices around what you’re looking for and paying a little bit extra,” Mark says.
He advises that once the applications start coming in, you shouldn’t rush your choice.
“There’s a tendency, if it’s all at the last minute and you’re just desperate to find someone, to skip a few steps. But speeding slows you down,” Mark says.
Tip 3: Be detailed
Mark says they often see families advertising roles – even for as much as 40 hours a week, with just a two-line job advert.
“If you’re going to apply for a 40-hour role, you’re probably not going to apply for one that only gives you two lines of detail. The more detail, the more beneficial it is and the better candidates you’ll get.”
Make sure you provide the applicant with a good ‘vibe’ about your family and the kids too.
Tip 4: Look beyond the CV
Mark says nannying can attract an array of people, including neurodiverse individuals. This can mean the candidates’ attention to detail in their written presentation may not be what you expect of someone applying for a corporate role. However, Mark advises looking past this and finding out more about them.
“That doesn’t mean they’re not good nannies,” he says.
Tip 5: Take care with vetting and safety
“The main thing with vetting and safety is not to take shortcuts. It comes back again to not rushing things. Tick all the boxes. Check IDs and references as well. Make sure you call up previous employers.”
Services such as Caresies ensure everyone’s ID is verified and provide tools to help check an individual’s right to work in NZ, as well as police vetting. They can also facilitate more detailed vetting services, including interviewing nannies and carrying out checks for you.
Tip 6: Have a trial run
Invite your preferred candidate for a paid trial run for a few hours. See how they interact with your children. Make sure you’re present but not constantly looking over their shoulder, Mark says. It allows both parties to see if the role is a good fit.
Tip 7: Treat the nanny like a professional
Ensure you’re paying at least the minimum wage and the nanny receives the minimum leave entitlements and public holidays they are entitled to.
Mark also suggests conducting regular performance reviews, starting after a couple of months in the role.
“Treat them the same as any other professional would expect to be treated,” he says.
Tip 8: Don’t forget to communicate with the kids
Explain to the kids why you need a nanny, when she’ll be working, and what she’ll be doing. Give them as much information as they need.
“Some kids might not be bothered, but others might need more. They might feel apprehensive about someone else coming into the house and looking after them. So the more you communicate and the more reassurance you can provide, the better the kids will feel about it,” Mark says.
“If the kids are happy and you’re happy, then it’s going to make the nanny’s job a lot easier as well,” he says.
What if something goes wrong?
If an issue arises, and it has to do with child safety or some form of gross misconduct, then ensure you are involved early and don’t be afraid to terminate the arrangement, Mark says.
However, many disagreements can occur because of simpler things, such as differing views on parenting.
Mark’s advice is to ensure you have a weekly catch-up, in which you can discuss how it’s going and bring up concerns from either side. This can become less frequent as everyone becomes accustomed to the arrangement.
“But (at the start) I think the best thing would just be to have that catch-up for 30 minutes once a week, just to see how it’s going. And as much as anything, it’s for the parents, but also for the nanny to see what they’re finding challenging because it’s a two-way street to make it work.”
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